Improved peach-parer



I Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. L. PRATT, OE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenorn To GEORGE n. OAn- TEE, OE SAME PLAGE, AND D. H. GOJDELL, or ANTmw, N. n.

IMPROVED PEACH-PARER;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent- No. 13,95 6, dated Arglist :23, ISG-l.

To @ZZ whom, it 17mg/ concern:

Be it known, that I, E. L. PRATT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a Fruit-Parer; and I d) hereby declare that the following, takenin cmnection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention 'sufficient to en- Y able those skilled in the art to practice it.

This invention relates to a peculiar construction of the fork for paring peaches, and to the construction and mode of applying the cutter-rod.

Figure l shows a plan, and Fig. 2 a front end-view of a fruit-paring machine embodying my invention. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ot' the prongs of the fork.

The machine illustrated is similar in general construction to another machine invented by me, for which I have also made application tor Letters-Patent, in that there is employeda segmental rack, with a pinion operated thereby, which pinion through other gearing actuates the rotating fork, the fork and gearing making an entire revolution in and beyond g the segmental rack. The improvements, however, which are herein embraced are applica.- ble to other machines as well as to those of the genera-l construction shown in these applieations.

In the ordinary construction of applepirers there is sometimes used a looselyswinging cutter head, hung at its center on the kniferod, and sometimes a tightly-fitted head which has a. movement or pressure tol ward the apple or upon the surface of the apple imparted by one spring, while another spring tends te give the knife a rotary movement, so as to bring the entire length ot its g cutting-edge into contact with the surface of l the fruit. To cheapen and simplify this construction, I dispense with one of such spiin'gs, and by the disposition and formation of the knife-rod I use a stationary or iixed cutterhead, (relatively toits rod,) keeping the knife up to the surface of the fruit and carrying its entire length over the surface thereof". t

a denotes the cutter-head, fixed immovably l upon and with respect to its rod b. At its i rear end this rod is pivoted to the arm c, eX- tending from the bed-plate of the machine, as

The rod I) has a crank, d, L

seen in Fig. 1.

and by the do tedlines.

mit axial movement of the knife-rod. The

crank d is inclined upward from a horizontal plane, and the spring e has not only an in wai d but a downward pressure, so that when the knife is in contact with the surface of tl e fruit it is held thereto by the-spring e, while the action of the spring upon the crank turns the whole length ofthe knife over the surface of the fruit, as lthe fork rotates, causing the knife to cut from end to end by the loose pivoting of the rod at g, and the action ofthe crank and spring. It is sometimes desirable to change the amount of turn movement of the knife with respett to the rod b, which is accomplished by making the rod adjustable by the screw g, as will be readily understood from Fig. 4, which shows a section ofthe screwpin with the rod b and arm c. Theerank and spring keep the arm normally in the position shown, from which it can turn, as represented by dotted lines; but by screwing the pin more or less inio the arm, it will be evident that the amount ot' this movement can be regulated as may be desirable.

1n apple-machines it is not practicable to pare peaches, because the ordinary form of fork, with its straight or nearly straight prongs, will not inclosc the stelle.

To pare peaches the forks of paring-machines have sometimes been made with ineli-ned prongs, to hold the peach-stone, and with double or independent forks to clasp the stone between them'. The forks have also been made with spring tines or prongs to hold the stone. Instead of such methods ot' construction, I provide the inner surface or side of each inclined prong or tilze of the pforkjl. with a groove or depression, fi, running from the outer end of the fork, as seen in Fig. 3, Now, when the peach is pushed onto the prongs, the sharp edges or corners of the stone enter the grooves i', which keep the stone from slipping, as it is wedged between and by the inclinations of the prongs. It' these surfaces were 'iiat or plane, the stone would not bind, but would slip aside; but the grooved prongs hold the peach tirmly in posi tion when placed upon them, and during the paring operation. The other parts of the mechanism of this parer being readily understood from the drawings, it will not be necessary to describe them.

The fork may be applied to its shaft by a screw, so as to be replaceable by an apple or other fori; at pleasure.

I elaiml. The combination of the spring and crank7 rod, operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. The means of regulating the extent of movement of the knife by the action ot' the screw g upon the end of the knife-rod, which is inclined and made movable with respect to Vthe surface ofthe arm c to which it is jointed,

y E. L. PRATT.

Vitnesses:

F. GoULo,

S. M. MCINTIRF.. 

